Eastern Hosts Hillsdale for In-State Matchup

YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) -- The Eastern Michigan University baseball team (13-24) returns to Oestrike Stadium on Tuesday, April 22, looking to snap a three-game losing skid and facing off versus the Chargers of Hillsdale College (13-26). The mid-week matchup between the two in-state schools is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. under the lights. It will be the only game of the week for EMU before the Green and White travels to Athens, Ohio for a three-game conference series against the Ohio University Bobcats.

SCOUTING HILLSDALE: The Chargers are 13-26 on the 2014 campaign, coming off losing two-of-three in a conference at home against Findlay, April 18-19. HC dropped the series opener to the Oilers, 13-9, in extra innings before splitting a Saturday doubleheader to end the three-game set. A trio of sophomores have been the backbone of the Hillsdale program throughout the season. At the plate, Tad Sobieszczanski leads the team with a .362 batting average to go along with six doubles, three triples and one home run. Outfielder Luke Ortel has been a threat on the base path with a team-high 14 steals as well as crossing the plate 27 times. Two-way player Chris McDonald paces the Chargers with 27 RBI and 10 doubles, while boasting the best qualifying ERA on the team at 3.62.

LAST TIME WE MET: EMU has controlled the all-time series with the Chargers, 48-9-1. However, in the latest meeting between the programs on May 1, 2012, it was not an easy victory for the Green and White. Kyle Klein gave the Eagles their first lead of the contest at 3-1 by clearing the bases with a single to right field. After HC took a one-run lead, EMU would knot the score at 4-4 in the bottom of the seventh via back-to-back doubles by Dae Bowden and Brent Ohrman. Two innings later, then-senior Tucker Rubino, brother of current EMU middle infielder John Rubino, delivered a bases-loaded single to bring in the winning run in the ninth inning to give the Eastern a 5-4 victory over Hillsdale at Oestrike Stadium.

EMU BASEBALL NEARS MILESTONE AT HOME: The Eagles will have an opportunity to inch closer to recording a milestone victory at home against Hillsdale, April 22. The program is just two victories from winning its 500th game in the friendly confines of Oestrike Stadium, its home diamond for the past 44 seasons. The home of EMU Baseball, Oestrike Stadium, named after EMU Hall of Fame Coach Ron Oestrike, was built in 1971, the year following Eastern Michigan's NAIA Collegiate National Championship and four years before its back-to-back NCAA World Series appearances. The Eagles boast a record of 498-344-2 (.591) in their home stadium since its construction.

A CHANGE AT LEADOFF: Five games ago, EMU Head Coach Jay Alexander decided to mix things up by inserting one of his best hitters, Sam Ott, into the leadoff position to try and spark the EMU offense. The starting right fielder, who usually bats in the three hole, has made a comfortable transition to the new spot in the order, doing his job by finding different ways to get on base. Since the switch, Ott has led the team with a .478 on-base percentage, including a team-high six walks. Ott's six walks are four more than any other Eagle in the five-game stretch since he has taken the leadoff spot in the order.

DOUBLING DOWN: Two current Eagles are climbing up the program's all-time doubles list. Seniors Lee Longo and Sam Ott have recorded 48 and 47 doubles, respectively throughout their careers at Eastern, ranking fourth and fifth in EMU laurels. Longo leads the team in doubles this season with 15 while Ott has smacked nine two-baggers throughout the 2014 campaign. Ott is tied with Scott Barrett, and the two are chasing Derrick Peterson, who sits in third with 54 career doubles, looking to reach his total before season's end. Eastern Michigan hit king Zack Leonard holds the all-time record with 63 doubles during his four-year career.

LOVE SCHAAK'S STRIKEOUTS: Head Coach Jay Alexander and pitching coach Eric Peterson have to be pleased with the strikeout rate of senior southpaw Paul Schaak. In four of his seven appearances this season, the Winkler, Manitoba native has struck out six-or-more opposing hitters, including a season-high seven strikeouts in 3.2 innings against Austin Peay, Feb. 25. In the Eagles' latest victory over Michigan, April 16, Schaak lasted a season-long six innings and set down six Wolverines on strikes. The lefty has 32 strikeouts on the season, including 15 looking, both team highs. After a week in which he held a 1.59 ERA, Schaak has dropped his earned run average down to the lowest on the EMU pitching staff at 2.84.

THE MOST IMPORTANT INNING: A good indicator of the outcomes of EMU baseball games this season is to see how the Eagles fare after the sixth inning. The Green and White is 10-1 when leading after the sixth as well as 3-1 when tied with its opponent through the first two-thirds of the game. In contrast, the Eagles are 0-22 when they are behind through six innings of play. Moreover, Eastern is currently outscoring the opposition, 31-12, in the sixth inning.

LEE'S CLUTCH HITTING: When the Eagles need a hit with runners on base, there is not anyone that Head Coach Jay Alexander would rather have at the plate than senior first baseman Lee Longo. While he leads the team with a .370 average at the plate, the Mayfield, Ohio native thrives in pressure situations. With runners in scoring position, Longo is batting an impressive .453 (24-for-53), including a .667 clip of knocking in the runner on third with less than two outs (8-for-12). Another impressive stat is Longo's clutch hitting; with two outs in the inning as he has hit at an incredible .532 rate (25-for-47) with 19 RBI.

FINDING THE NATIONAL RANKS: The EMU sluggers have found the charts in the the latest national rankings (April 21, 2014). Eastern's highest rank is 34th with 1.97 doubles per game, trailing nation-leading William & Mary which averages 2.95 per contest. In terms of total doubles, EMU's 73 two-base hits are 45th in the country, 42 behind the top mark. Tallying 5.8 runs per game, the Green and White is the 83rd-best scoring team in the nation. The Eagles also have been effective on the base path, stealing 1.57 bases per game, which stands at No. 36 in all of NCAA Division I baseball.

IRON MAN OTT: EMU looks to have its own Cal Ripken, Jr. as one Eagle has emerged as a baseball iron man. Since the end of his redshirt-freshman season in 2011, Sam Ott has started every game for Head Coach Jay Alexander. The Canton, Mich. native started the last 18 games of the 2011 season while starting all 110 games his sophomore and junior campaigns. He got in the lineup for all 56 games in 2012 primarily as the designated hitter while he had 54 starts in 2013, with the majority of them coming in right field. To kick off the 2014 slate, Ott has started all 36 games in right field to total 165 straight starts and counting for the EMU redshirt-senior. Ott is one-of-27 NCAA Division I baseball players that boasts an active streak of over 100 starts. His 165 consecutive starts rank sixth in that category behind: Ryan Lindemuth, William & Mary (206); Justin Glass, Cincinnati (203); Ethan Gross, Memphis (189); Ross Kivett, Kansas State (188); Nick Favatella, Rutgers (179).

THE MEN OF THE CENTURY MARK: Along with the 165 straight starts by Sam Ott, another Eagle recently surpassed the century mark in consecutive games of being in the lineup. Against Miami, April 18, junior John Rubino started in this 100th-straight game donning the Green and White. The Scottsdale, Ariz. native was penciled in for the remainder of the weekend series as his current start streak stands at 102 games. With two Eagles starting over 100-straight contests, Eastern Michigan is just one-of-eight schools that have teammates accomplishing the feat. Alabama has three student-athletes that have currently started over 100 games in-a-row while the following schools have two on their respective baseball teams: Charleston Southern, Clemson, Marshall, San Diego State, Tennessee Tech and Virginia Tech.

BETTER WITH DUCKS ON THE POND: With runners on the base, the pressure may seem to rise for hitters as they try to find a way to get their teammates around to score. However, the Eagles welcome the pressure by hitting at a better average with runners on than with the bases empty. EMU sluggers are hitting at a .299 clip with Eagles on the base path, including a .314 average with the bases loaded. When the bases are empty, Eastern is hitting .224 as a team.

LONGO LEADS THE WAY: First baseman Lee Longo has had an incredible start to his final season as an Eagle. He is the team leader in multiple hitting categories, pacing the Green and White in batting average (.370), hits (51), RBI (34), total bases (71), doubles (15), hit by pitch (9), slugging percentage (.514) and on base percentage (.419). Moreover, Longo's stats have found the top of the Mid-American Conference rankings. His 15 doubles are tied for second in the conference while he ranks fourth in the MAC in RBI. Longo is also tied for sixth in MAC standings in hits, total bases and slugging percentage.

OFF TO OHIO: Following the mid-week home contest, the Eagles will flock south to Athens, Ohio, to battle the Bobcats of Ohio University, April 25-27. The series opener begins at 6 p.m. Friday, April 25, and the cross-divisional affair continues, April 26, with a 3 p.m first pitch. The finale at Bob Wren Stadium is scheduled to take place Sunday, April 27, at 1 p.m.

Eastern Michigan Athletics

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